


My Honey Suckle Rose

by MadameMayorRM



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-28
Updated: 2016-07-18
Packaged: 2018-05-03 18:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,920
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5301347
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadameMayorRM/pseuds/MadameMayorRM
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>****Swan Queen Week Summer 2015- Day 3: Time Travel**** Emma does what Emma does best and gets into trouble. She finds herself alone in the Enchanted Forest and meets a crying brunette at the edge of a sprawling estate. Could it be Regina? Will be several chapters.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Flowers in a Field

**Author's Note:**

> A/N: So I know I am super late for Swan Queen Week, but I decided to keep pressing on. I hope you enjoy this first chapter of a short multi-chapter fic. Special thanks as always to Jenn for insisting I post things, even when I am not sure.

_"_ _Miss Swan, I said don't touch anything!"_

_"_ _I'm not! Geez, will you relax? What harm could it possibly do if I touch something anyway?"_

_"_ _More than you realize. This isn't a game, Emma. These objects are powerful. Some of them belonged to my mother and even I am not sure what they are capable of, so please. Do. Not. Touch." Regina looked over her shoulder with a glare that said her request was more of a demand than a suggestion._

_Rolling her eyes at the brunette, Emma gingerly reached out and picked up a small crystal shard. "Aha! See. No harm done. Now let's get the book and get back to-"_

_Without warning, a blue light erupted from the small crystal and shot skyward. Despite being underground in the vault, a terrible wind began to blow and a tornadic vortex began to form along the ceiling. The force of the vortex was immense and it seemed for a moment that everything would be pulled in. But in a moment the wind, the light, the pulling power were gone and only one thing was missing._

_Emma._

~ (SQ) ~

Emma opened her eyes in a very dense forest. It was late afternoon from the looks of the sky and she was flat of her back, tangled in the undergrowth.

"Just great, Swan. You will never hear the end of this. Dammit." Emma pulled herself free of the vine and tried in vain to gauge how far away from the vault she had landed. Off to the left she heard voices.  _Wonderful. Forest Boy and the Merry Men… just what I needed._

Emma walked toward the voices but it took only a moment to realize it wasn't Robin and his motley crew. These voices were none she recognized and they were arguing.

"Ah, Bart, me old friend. Let us not squabble over a sixpence. I'll buy us both a flagon of ale when we get back to the Merry Widow." The first voice clearly belonged to a man with some age on him.

"Damn it all, Felix. I'm not falling for that again! The last time you left me to pay for the ale and I still never saw the money. Now pay up or I'll take you before the King m'self." The second voice was gruff and clearly angry.

Perhaps it was a throwback response from years on the run that kicked in, but Emma kept herself hidden as she quietly approached the men. Finally she crested the hill and could see them on the road below her, standing by an empty wagon pulled by two poorly matched mules.

The men were not dressed like anyone she had seen in Storybrooke. In fact, she had never seen anyone dressed like them.  _Well, except that time when Killian and I fell into the portal and landed in the—_

"Oh, you've got to be fucking kidding me!" Emma cried out without thinking. Clamping her hand over her mouth she dropped flat on her stomach, out of sight.

"Did you hear that, Bart? Somebody's in the woods." The first man glanced toward the source of the sound.

"Forget it Felix, you are not going to get out of this. Pay me the sixpence now or…"

"Fine. Here. Take it. Now, let's get out of here. I don't have a good feeling about these woods." Emma listened as the sound of wagon and mules faded away.

"I don't have a good feeling about this either, Felix," Emma whispered after them but mostly to herself. She knew now she was in the Enchanted Forest. The question was, when?

~ (SQ) ~

It had only taken Emma a moment to review her last visit to the Enchanted Forest to decide her first course of action—disguise herself. Just in case she was somehow in the past, she wasn't going to take a chance on messing everything up.  _Again._

If she hadn't seen the men, she may have considered she was in the present time in the fairytale realm. But knowing that everyone had come over in the curse that was a failed attempt to escape Zelena, Emma was afraid she was most definitely in the past.  _Great work, McFly._

Testing her magic, she found it was still working so with a little effort she cast a glamour spell over herself. Regina had taught her this spell but warned that casting it on yourself was tricky. Your looks would be altered but only a bit. The main difference would be the clothes, which in this case were vital. No more skinny jeans and plaid, Emma was clad in a corseted peasant dress, her long blonde locks still hanging loose about her shoulders.

The second most important thing to do, Emma decided, was to find out where and when she was and try to find someone to help her home. Rumpelstiltskin was a risky choice, but he was also likely to be her only choice. She would be prepared this time though. If indeed she was in the past, she wouldn't trust him or be helpless. She had magic this time. And she wasn't just going to call his name and have him appear on his terms, she was going right to his front door. She was going to be fine.  _I hope._

Staying close to the edge of the road to avoid any other travelers, Emma walked along in the direction the men had traveled. Sooner or later she would arrive in the village to which they had been headed. Perhaps someone in the Merry Widow could provide some information to help her.

After a short time, she heard the thundering of horses coming from behind her. It seemed she was only moments from being overtaken by what must surely be an army based on the sound. Unwilling to be seen, not yet ready to explain herself, Emma darted quickly into the woods and ran in a straight line away from the road. She planned to get far enough away so as not to be seen or heard and then, when the sound of the approaching horses had passed, she would return to the road and her trip to the village.  _Better safe than sorry, Swan._ The last thing she wanted was to come face to face with the Evil Queen and her guard if that was the time frame she was in.

Emma ran on perhaps father than necessary, her lungs filling with the clean air of the woods. In a moment however, she stopped abruptly. Ahead of her the trees stopped and there was a wide clearing. The bucolic scene, wide open green field with a singular oak tree, stretched on for a distance before stopping at an enormous manor house. In fact, it was a home larger than Regina's mansion in Storybrooke and beyond it Emma could see several smaller buildings. Stables, barns and perhaps servant's quarters. She had stumbled onto someone's property. Apparently someone very wealthy.

Taking a tentative step out of the woods, Emma her a sound to her right. Turning, she saw a young woman sitting on a fallen tree trunk, her hand gently outlining the flower of a beautiful orchid. Emma started to step back into the woods out of sight. After all, she couldn't afford to be seen or to engage too many people. The risk was too great, especially since she wasn't certain when or where she had landed.

But as she turned to go, the young woman's shoulders shook. She was crying. Instinctively, Emma stepped closer. A cascade of black hair fell in curls down the other woman's back, and the closer Emma drew to her, the more the crying was evidenced although not a sound came from the slight figure. Always, her finger traced the petals of her orchid, the motion as entrancing as the gentle movement of her dark locks with each silent sob.

Before Emma realized what she was doing or weighed the risk of getting involved with the young woman, she stopped a few feet from the fallen tree and spoke. "Hey, are you alright? Can I help you?"

Having believed she was alone, the sound of Emma's voice startled the woman and she sprang to her feet and darted behind a tree.

"Hey, now. It's ok. I'm not gonna hurt you. I saw you were crying and wanted to help," Emma began, easing closer to the tree keeping the young woman hidden.

"Who are you? What are you doing on my father's land? My mother will not stand for interlopers. You would be wise to return from wherever you have come." The voice was soft and gentle, but it was trying hard to be confident. Emma had no doubt the young woman was frightened by her intrusion, but was unlikely to admit it based on her tone.

"I'm just a… um, I'm a maiden—yeah, I'm a maiden on a journey and I got lost in the woods. But I saw you in, uh, distress and came to uh, you know, assist you. And stuff." Emma didn't know how to sound like she belonged in the Enchanted Forest, even if her clothes said she did.

A laugh like heaven lilted from behind the tree. "A maiden? Well, you do not sound so certain. Are you sure?"

"I'm sure. Just not used to speaking to a tree I guess." Emma smiled brightly. Perhaps this young woman could help her find Rumpelstiltskin.

Black eyes that seemed so foreign and yet so familiar peered between branches, still blocking the woman from view. "Well, neither am I accustomed to speaking with a honeysuckle vine." The smile in the voice was clear.

"Honeysuckle vine?" Emma reached up her hand a pulled free a long strand of the sweet flowers. Whether there from her initial fall or her run through the woods, she was not sure. "Oh, I see. I must have picked them up running in the woods."

"Well, don't just cast them aside. Something as wild and beautiful as the vine should not be destroyed on a whim. Besides, they looked pretty in your hair." There was a shyness to the voice but still it spoke with reverent conviction about the flowers. "Now, are you going to tell me your name? Or shall I just call you Honeysuckle Rose?"

Now it was Emma who laughed. "Honeysuckle Rose?"

"Why do you laugh?" Through the branches Emma could make out the furrow of the brow over those oddly familiar eyes. The indignant voice made a shudder go up her spine. It sounded like… "If you knew by whom you were being addressed, you would not be so cavalier in your response."

"I'm sorry," Emma said sincerely. There was an unexpected tremor in her voice as fear like ice water filled her veins. This could end very badly if... "You see, I am traveling alone and I fear revealing too much to strangers. I will tell you my name. But first, what is yours?" Emma's eyes fell to the orchid the brunette had dropped in her haste to hide. "Or shall I call you Sweet Orchid?"

The laughter of heaven returned now as quickly as it had gone. "Very well, Honeysuckle Rose, you make keep your identity a secret for now. Your Sweet Orchid will not press you any further."

"Thank you." Emma's face spread wide in a smile, even as her heart raced in fear. Squinting into the tree she went on, "Are you gonna stay hidden? Or should I just go?" Emma turned to leave, in part hoping it would spur the young woman into action to stop her and in part to flee this situation before it became the reality she was dreading.

"Oh wait," a sweet, small voice whispered from the tree. "Don't leave me, Honeysuckle Rose."

Emma stopped. She was moved by the sad lilt of the voice and waxed uncharacteristically poetic. "I'd sooner forsake sun and moon, Sweet Orchid. Now, come out from your hiding place," she coaxed.

Emma turned and watched the small figure step from behind the tree. Innocent chocolate eyes came into focus, shining bright and full of wonder, above a smile with so much light it destroyed the looming darkness of evening. Emma gasped and felt something unknown turn in her chest.

There before her stood seventeen year old Regina Mills.

 


	2. Starry Night

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I hope you all enjoy this little story as much as I am enjoying writing it. There's just something about these two ladies I cannot seem to get enough of. Thank you for all your kind words. Reviews always spur me to write more, so keep them up. And, as always, thank you Jenn for reading and encouraging me to post. You're my favorite.

Emma Swan lay flat of her back in the hay loft of the stables, staring into the night sky through a small window. An odd thought passed through her mind and she wondered if these same stars were the ones shining over Storybrooke. How much she wished she was there now herself.

When Regina had stepped out from behind the tree, smiling shyly at Emma, the blonde had stood transfixed. The young woman before her was breathtakingly beautiful. Snow had spoken often to Emma about the version of Regina she had known as a girl and her beauty was always worth mentioning. Emma herself had taken notice and looked appreciatively at her son's other mother in the years since they had first met. There could be no denying that Regina was a beautiful woman in all her incarnations. But Emma had not been prepared for  _this_.

This creature before her had none of the hardness found in her Regina. The young brunette was softer somehow, and bright. Her smile held a tenderness Emma had only witnessed when it was directed toward Henry and once at her as well. Yes, once she had received that smile. The day in the library full of empty story books when Emma had joined the mission to find Regina's happy ending.

Still unable to speak, Emma drank deeply from dark chocolate pools. They seemed all at once inquisitive and curious but also bashful in the presence of a stranger. One thing was the same though. Despite any shyness or fear of the unknown, this Regina, like the older one, was unwilling to be seen as weak and stood confidently before her.

The revelation that this creature, not yet the victim of power hungry manipulation and murderous rage, would one day become the Evil Queen crashed over Emma like a wave. It seemed impossible to believe. An unbidden image of a photograph in Regina's study featuring the brunette cradling baby Henry in her arms flashed through Emma's mind. This Regina made that photograph all the more poignant. Suddenly that photograph became real. Emma felt a swelling in her chest and tried to shake loose from the memory.

She watched as a questioning smirk took over Regina's face. They'd been standing there in silence, sizing each other up for several long minutes. The blonde knew she should say something, but still remained unable to will her voice to come forth.

Regina's soft voice spoke first. "Hello."

"Hi," Emma offered awkwardly.

"Where are your clothes?" Regina asked with a tilt of her head.

"My what?" Emma scanned quickly down her own body to be sure her glamour spell was still working.

"You said you were on a journey, did you not? Certainly you have more than one dress?" Regina's eyes held Emma's gaze as she spoke.

"Yeah, right, the journey. Um, I ran into some… uh, I ran into some trouble, you know, back on the road and…" Emma let her voice drift off. She didn't like lying to Regina but felt under the circumstances it was her only choice.

"Oh no! Were you robbed? Are you hurt?" Regina reached out a small hand and gently squeezed Emma's arm above her elbow.

Emma's green eyes opened wide. Not at the touch alone, but at the spark of magic she felt beneath Regina's hand. It was the same feeling the blonde had felt when she had jump-started Regina's magic moments before being pulled through a portal by the wraith after the first curse had broken. The brunette for her part seemed unaware of the magic between them.

"Oh, it's ok. I'm fine. I wasn't hurt. Nothing to worry about." Emma tried to convince the other woman whose hand had not yet let go of her arm.

"Still, I shall speak to my father about this. Mother works very hard to keep the roads safe and free of unsavory fellows," Regina said with a wrinkle of her nose. Emma recognized that wrinkle. Her Regina still made that face when something mildly displeased her. The blonde had always found it adorable although she would never use that word within Regina's hearing. "Is that why you were in the woods? Are you running from them?"

"No, nothing like that. I was actually trying to avoid some horses I heard coming down the road. I wasn't sure who else I might run into and I don't have anything left for them to steal." Emma wanted very much to steer the conversation away from her lie.

"Oh dear, were you frightened? My mother often says it is not safe for me to be out alone. I had thought perhaps she was being over protective. But it appears she was right about one thing. The world is a dangerous place for a woman without a husband. Do you have a husband? Is that impertinent of me to ask?" Emma tried to keep up with the changing expressions on Regina's face as she thought of new things to ask.

"Well, yes, I guess I was a little scared. And no, I am not married." Emma quirked a smile towards the brunette.

"Oh," Regina whispered reverently, her full lips forming a perfect circle. "I do so admire independent women. Journeying alone, with no husband, running through the forest. It all sounds so… so liberating. Mother says I must behave myself like a lady and use my manners. I may not run or journey too far from the house or speak to strangers, although I seem to be failing on that point now. I know she means well, but she seems to have so many ideas about how I should behave, who I should be, to whom I should speak." Regina huffed and wrinkled her nose again.

"Your mother? She sounds like a piece of work," Emma smirked. She knew a great deal about Cora and her treatment of Regina. She despised the woman and would love nothing more than to throttle her for all the damage she caused but she knew she could do nothing to change the timeline.

"Indeed. She often says I must be careful and mind my appearance. She says my face is my greatest asset and will win me a husband at court. She even thinks I could one day be—" Regina paused a moment and dropped her eyes to her feet as if she suddenly felt embarrassed by her own words. "She seems certain I could one day be queen." She finished in a whisper.

Seeing the sadness in Regina's eyes, Emma realized that the brunette may not yet be living the tormented life that would lead her to insanity and magic and curses, but she was not completely free from trouble. At this stage in her life she was already being groomed for greatness at whatever cost Cora deemed necessary and had suffered the blows of mental, emotional and even physical abuse at the hand of her mother.

"What about your father? You mentioned him a moment ago." Emma tried to erase the sadness for a moment by mentioning the man Regina would one day sacrifice for the curse.

Dark eyes sprang to life at the mention of her father. "Oh, yes, my father! He is the kindest, most gentle soul on earth. I love my daddy very much. And he loves me." Regina hesitated a moment. "Not that Mother doesn't love me. She just… she just wants the best for me. Sometimes what I want and what she wants are not the same." Guilt was apparent on Regina's face, as if she had slighted Cora somehow by speaking so highly of her father.

"I understand," Emma smiled, placing a comforting hand on the brunette's shoulder. "I am sure you love them both and they love you."

"What about you?" Regina said, looking up at Emma through soot black lashes. Emma was unsure if the action was one of practiced flirtation or shyness, but the effect was the same. Emma felt an undeniable warmth spreading through her stomach at the sight.

"W-what about me?" Emma stuttered.

"What are your parents like? I assume you have them unless you were hatched." The teasing smile that danced across Regina's face assured Emma that the previous look had indeed been a flirtation.

Emma couldn't stop the smile from spreading across her face. If she had been the sort to consider things, she would have considered that there was something strange happening inside her as she interacted with this Regina. But all she knew was that she wanted to learn more about her life. The smile wavered as the blonde realized more interaction only opened the door for more damage to the timeline.

"Well, my parent and I were… um, separated I guess you'd say when I was just a baby. And I was raised by different caregivers. So not too much I can tell you about my parents." Emma wasn't stupid enough to give accurate details about her life.

"Oh. I see," Regina seemed to mull over Emma's words. "I suppose that contributed to your independent spirit. I should be more grateful to be with my parents, even if my mother and I don't always agree."

"I guess. But there are good and bad things to both situations. Parents can be the pits. But good or bad, you should always have a say, Re…" Emma caught herself about to say Regina's name when it had not been given to her in this world just yet. "Really. You should always have a say really about your life. You make your own destiny, Sweet Orchid."

At the sound of the new nickname Regina laughed. It was that same lilting laugh from earlier and it seemed to be a living thing on its own. Dancing along the wind, it wrapped itself around Emma each time and dug deeper into her heart. Regina curtsied, slightly ducking her head and said, "My name is Regina."

"I'm Emma—" Before her brain had time to register what she was saying, the blonde began giving her actual name out of habit but she quickly recovered. "Emmaline. I'm Emmaline and very happy to meet you Regina."

"What a lovely name! Although I may continue to call you my Honeysuckle Rose. But I am glad you told me your real name. I am sure Mother would not approve of my cavorting with a flower." There it was again, that flirtatious tone and manner.

"Your mother? Why would she need to know my name?" Emma furrowed her brow. She had no intention of facing Cora Mills.

"Yes, my Mother. If you are going to go home and to supper with me she will require your name." Regina smiled innocently. She had no idea what she was asking of Emma.

"I, uh, don't think I can do that. I'm not ready to meet people. I should just go." Emma turned back toward the woods.

"Emmaline! Wait. I'm sorry. I just assumed you would be hungry and tired from your journey. I did not mean to pressure you. Please don't go." There was near desperation in Regina's voice. Emma wondered just why it was so important that she stay. Her answer came immediately. "You see, I do not have very many friends as I am not allowed to leave the estate. And I was enjoying our talk. Please. I'm sorry. Don't go."

And that was how Emma came to be in the hay loft of the stables. She had agreed with Regina that she would remain but only on the compromise that she stay in the stables and that Regina not mention their meeting to anyone. The brunette was happy to oblige as it felt something like a secret and she loved secrets. Emma smiled at the irony. A simple secret would soon enough destroy Regina.

Regina had promised to return with a plate of supper for the blonde and a blanket to keep her warm as soon as it was safe. In the meantime, Emma had been laying there, looking at the stars, trying to formulate a plan to return to Storybrooke. She was deliberately ignoring the tenderness she felt toward this Regina, or the dull ache in her chest when she thought of never seeing her modern day Regina again if things should go wrong. She would give anything to just hear her growl "Miss Swan" and scold her for touching that stupid crystal.

"Emmaline?" A quiet whisper drifted up from the stable floor.

"Yes? I'm here. In the loft." Emma sat up in time to see Regina's head emerge from the hole in the loft floor as she climbed the steps.

"Hello again. I've brought you a lovely plate of roast swan and vegetables and for dessert, apple torte made from apples I grew myself." Emma had to swallow back explosive laughter at the meal she was being served. "And here is a blanket. It gets cold at night but this should warm you."

"Thank you, Regina. I really appreciate it." As if the sight of the food had demanded it, Emma's stomach growled in anticipation.

"My apologies to you and your stomach for the delay in getting these things to you. My Mother wanted to talk about the new stable boy they have hired. He shall arrive next week and I will resume my lessons on my horse. That's him in the third stall. Rocinante. Lovely isn't he?" Regina smile with pride, looking down toward her horse. Another casualty of the curse and so clearly something she loved. Suddenly Emma didn't feel so hungry.

"Yes, he is… beautiful, like his mistress." The words spilled out without Emma's permission. Even in the darkened loft the blonde could see the blush of color creeping across Regina's face. "So, you said you will be taking up lessons?"

"Oh yes. I had a teacher but Mother didn't like my progress. It is essential that a lady be able to ride and look graceful in her seat. But this new boy, David or Daniel or Darcy… I forget which, he will begin my lessons again shortly." Emma felt all the air leave her lungs at Regina's words.

" _Daniel…_ " Emma breathed the name with realization. She had arrived before Regina had met her true love, before anything had happened between them. The blonde knew her presence would cause a problem. Regina was lonely and friendless when she met Daniel. That had led to her spending so much time riding with him and eventually falling in love. But if Regina considered Emma a friend, perhaps she wouldn't spend time with him, perhaps she wouldn't fall in love so quickly… Emma didn't want to think about what damage that could cause to the timeline.  _Henry…_

"Yes, I think it is Daniel. But, it matters little. Mother will not let him stay very long. She never does. Now tomorrow I will bring you some fruit and milk for your breakfast and I will take you to my favorite spot if you like, by that sprawling oak in the field. Did you see it?" Regina had busied herself, smoothing out her dress. The moonlight pouring in the small window illuminated her hair in a halo and kissed gently on her olive skin. When Emma shook away her thoughts of Daniel and Henry and leaving she saw Regina and her mind filled with memory.

It had been on the Neverland island when they'd gone to rescue Henry and they were searching for Tinkerbell to ask for her help. Regina had lagged behind deliberately because she feared her presence would keep the fairy from helping them. There, sitting on a log, telling Emma the truth about her previous encounter with Tink, the moon had shone down on a very vulnerable looking Regina, much like the one Emma beheld now. Again there was a gripping in her chest and Emma knew it was important, though as yet she could not say why.

"I have to go, Regina. I will sleep a few hours but then, I have to go. Thank you for your help but really, I cannot stay here." Emma felt the grip of panic on her heart. She had to get back to Storybrooke. This place was not where she belonged.

Surprised and saddened, cognac eyes looked across the darkened loft. "No, Emmaline. Why must you go? Have I done—"

"You've done nothing," Emma interrupted. She didn't want to wound the younger woman by her abruptness. "You have been wonderful to me but I really must go."

"But why? I was so enjoying your company. If I haven't done anything wrong, then what is it?" Tears filled Regina's eyes and confusion was plain on her face. It hurt Emma to think she would injure the brunette. "Please don't leave me, Honeysuckle Rose."

The words, said for the second time in less that twelve hours, ripped through Emma like an arrow shot from her mother's bow. They sounded desperate and lonely in a way Emma fully understood. How often she had wanted someone, anyone, to stay. She breathed out a sigh a defeat and whispered the same words she had before. "I'd sooner forsake sun and moon, my Sweet Orchid."

Was the smile that replaced the look of loss on Regina's face worth the damage Emma may cause the timeline, the future, even her very existence by staying here any longer? Reason said no, of course not. But that tiny flutter in Emma's heart cried out yes!

"I'll stay another day. I promise. I won't leave you."

After Regina had returned to the manor house, and Emma found herself alone once more, she looked again at the stars out the window and whispered, "What am I getting myself into this time?"

 


	3. Beneath the Apple Tree

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Thank you all for responding and letting me know you did want a concluding chapter to this story. I actually managed to hammer out two.
> 
> This story was meant to be about 8 to 10 chapters so a lot of development between Emma and Regina is condensed. The side story of plotting Cora is completely absent. However, I feel this does give a nice conclusion to the story and I hope you agree.
> 
> Thank you all for your support and understanding. It means so much to me.

"Wake up, child."

Emma was pulled from her sleep with a quiet voice. "I was having the most bizarre dream." The blonde yawned and stretched. The feeling of straw beneath her made her eyes shoot open.

"I assure you I have no interest in your dream. I am, however, quite interested in what you are doing on my property." Emma found herself gazing into the face of none other than Cora Mills.

"I—" Emma was at a loss for words. "I, um, I was just… you know, I was—"

"Trespassing. That's what you are doing." Cora moved with ease around her in a long and elaborate gown. Certainly too fancy for daytime wear.

Emma leapt to her feet then. "Yes, ma'am. You are right. I am. And now, I will be on my way. Please forgive me."

Plucking some straw from her dress, Emma made to exit the loft. She had no intention of tangling with Cora Mills. She knew staying here had been a mistake.

"Emmaline? Are you awake? Mother is about this morning so you may want to—" Regina's words stopped mid-sentence as her head popped up from the ladder to the loft. "Oh. H-hello Mother."

"Do you know this… _person_ … Regina?" Cora turned to her daughter and Emma saw genuine fear fill the young woman's eyes.

"Well, I… yes, I do… in a way. She—"

"In a way? What does that mean? Do you know her or do you not?" Cora stalked closer to the girl who was now fully in the loft and no longer merely a head appearing in a hole.

"Yes. I do. I know her. Her name is Emmaline and she was on a journey when someone bothered her on the road near our land and she fled through the woods. It was late afternoon and she had nowhere to go so I… well, I did the only thing I could think of that a wise, benevolent queen would do. I offered her shelter. Isn't that what I should have done, Mother?" Along with obvious fear a spark of mischievousness was seen.

Cora lifted her chin high. "Do not suppose that you can get out of your punishment for this impudence by twisting the situation to suit my plans for you, child. Please leave us. I will deal with you later."

Regina frowned and looked forlornly at Emma. She turned and headed toward the ladder and looked again at her new friend. "No."

Cora froze, her brow furrowing. "No?"

"No. I will not leave you. I invited Emmaline to sleep here and… and I promised her a meal. And that is what we shall do." There was a wild spark of defiance in the girl as she stood tall. For a moment, Emma saw her Regina, proud, regal and relentless.

Cora turned with an angry glare to her daughter. "My, aren't we brave this morning. I will not be spoken to like this, girl. If you will not do as you are told, well then you leave me no choice." With a flourish of Cora's hand, red smoke enveloped Regina and she disappeared.

Emma raced to the place the girl had been. "What did you do to her?"

Cora shrugged as if bored. "I've sent her to her room. I cannot allow her to speak to me like that. I will think of a suitable punishment later. But for now, I wish to speak to you."

Emma watched the older woman pace about the small space and wanted nothing more than to kill her with her bare hands. She knew, even if Regina had never said it explicitly, she knew this woman had tortured and tormented her, making her feel trapped. She had caused Regina unbelievable pain. She deserved anything that Emma could do to her. But she couldn't do that. She couldn't risk the timeline.

"Who are you?" Cora brought Emma back to the moment.

"My name is Emmaline. I am a traveler from another kingdom. Everything your daughter said is true. I stumbled upon your land by mistake." Emma hoped she sounded convincing.

"Yes, but who are you really?" Cora arched a disbelieving brow.

"Just like I said. I am Emmaline and I am traveling—"

Cora's laughter stopped her words. "My dear, stupid girl. I am a sorceress of some great power. I can smell the magic all over you. While it is a poorly enacted glamour, it certainly is efficient enough to hide your appearance. So, I ask again, _who are you?"_

Emma wasn't sure what to say. But one thing was for sure, this woman did know how to find Rumpelstiltskin.

"Ok. You got me. My name is Emmaline White. I am from another realm… another time. I made a mistake with a spell and appeared in the woods here. I am trying to find the Dark One in order to get back where and when I belong. Can you help me?"

Cora snorted a laugh at Emma's frankness. "So free with the truth. You must certainly be from another realm or you would know better than to trust a stranger here. But, I can indeed help you."

"You can? Do you know the Dark One?" Emma hoped the woman bought her innocent act.

"Yes. I know him. And I know enough about the Dark One to tell you not to bother. He will not help you. But perhaps I can. I have learned quite a bit about travel between realms. I am sure something in my belongings could help you. If—" Cora took a breath and allowed the silence to create a heaviness in the air. "If you are willing to do something for me."

"What could I possibly do for you?" Emma was curious to hear what she had to say.

"Well, perhaps while I am working on a way to send you home, you could remain here as my guest and keep an eye on my daughter. She is young and foolish. She is destined to be the queen of this realm but I have yet to understand her lack of interest in such an honored position. Perhaps you will fair better in understanding since you have already managed to cause her to resist my wishes by your mere presence." Cora kicked aside the empty plate from Emma's dinner and nudged the blanket. "It seems she likes you."

"So you want me to spy on her? No way. I'm no snitch." Emma crossed her arms and huffed.

"Spy on her?" Cora laughed again. "I have no need of spies, Miss White. I am more than capable with magic of watching her every move if I wish it. No, I want you to get to know her and tell me what makes her so intent on not following my wishes."

Emma thought it over. It wasn't an awful proposition. She could spend time with Regina while Cora readied a way home.

Perhaps sensing Emma was being won over, Cora went on. "You shall come and stay in the house with us. There is a room adjacent to Regina's you can occupy while you are here. All your meals will be in the dining hall with us. Not with the servants. You may tell my daughter you are going to be her companion. And all the while I will be locating an answer to your particular problem."

Emma couldn't deny that it was tempting. She didn't want to tangle with Rumple again so maybe Cora was a suitable alternative. She knew she couldn't trust her, but at this point she wasn't sure what other options she had. "Ok. I'll do it."

~ (SQ) ~

Nearly a week had passed and all Emma had been able to do was realize staying this close to Regina wasn't a good idea. Every morning, the young girl would slip into Emma's room and wake her. She would crawl under the down blanket with her and whisper about the things she'd like them to do that day. And every morning, Emma was struck by her beauty.

Their days would be spent laughing and walking the grounds, reading in the library, or leaning against the huge oak tree Regina loved so much. It was during these times that Regina would confess her desire for freedom, her fear of her mother and her wish to never be queen.

After the evening meal, every night Emma would flee to the seclusion of her bed and hope that Regina wouldn't stop at her door. But every night she would. She would enter with a soft knock and climb into the large bed for a few minutes of quiet talking before yawning and smiling and slipping away to her room.

As if these private moments were not enough to stir something unnamed within Emma, there was the constant and deliberate flirtation. Regina in Storybrooke was sexy. Her swaggering and confidence was sensual molten lava even if you hated her. There was no denying she was attractive, desirable… a goddess among mere mortals. But this Regina with her less perfected flirtations, her innocent touches, her standing too close and looking too long… she was just as dangerous to Emma as her more advanced counterpart. Everything about her made Emma want to forget another life and take her in her arms in a bruising kiss.

Emma knew she needed to leave this place soon. Daniel was scheduled to arrive in just three days and, despite her assurances that she was trying to send Emma home, Cora had made no progress toward that end. After lunch when Regina took a nap (as all well-bred young ladies did), Cora would meet with Emma privately to learn what she could about Regina from the blonde and share her own news about her magic planning.

Emma hadn't revealed one word to Cora about her daughter. She would not be complicit to the woman manipulating her. She only said every day that she needed more time to earn her trust. And Cora would smile and echo the sentiment—she needed more time to find an escape for Emma.

But Emma knew that, even if Cora couldn't find her an answer, she would be leaving tomorrow. She could not stay here with Regina another day. Every day she was here, that unnamed churning in her chest was crying out to be named. And Emma was afraid to call it by the name singing in her ears.

_Love._

This girl. This young creature had opened Emma's eyes to some very unsettling truths. She didn't know Regina as well as she had once thought. Even seeing her as _Regina_ and not the Evil Queen was insufficient understanding compared to knowing her in her most tender innocence. And the knowing… the knowing had made Emma realize just how much she missed the less innocent version of the girl.

While she was awestruck and enamored of this girl who wove her fingers through Emma's blonde locks every morning to wake her softly, she missed the rough edges of her Regina in Storybrooke. She missed the anger and the fire. She missed the guarded vulnerability and pride. She missed the layers of depth that years of living had given her.

This young Regina was a beautiful girl and Emma could admit she was falling for her. But the real beauty… the beauty found only in maturity and struggle… the beauty inside and out that belonged to her Regina… Emma was less ready to admit that she was hopelessly in love with her. And perhaps she had been for some time without realizing it. But this final piece of the puzzle, Regina before she was broken, had opened Emma's eyes to the truth.

_I'm in love with Regina Mills._

So, help from Cora or not. Tomorrow Emma was leaving. Staying another day could be disastrous to the timeline.

"Miss White? Are you even listening to me?" Cora's voice shook Emma.

"Yeah. Sorry. I was drifting off. What did you say?" Emma was sitting in a large chair in the library for her daily meeting with Cora.

"I said, you have proven to be of little or no use to me in my quest to understand my daughter, but I have, I believe, found your answer." Cora held in her hand a glass box and in it, a small blue crystal Emma recognized immediately as the one that had sent her here in the first place.

"Oh." Emma's mouth made a perfect "o" as she looked with some trepidation at the box.

"Oh? Are you not happy to be able to return to your home, Emmaline? This is, after all, what you wanted. Or have you gotten to know my daughter a bit more than you have confessed to me… hmmm? Perhaps you wish to stay."

Emma shook her head. "No, no of course not. I am just shocked you were able to resolve my issue so quickly. May I say goodbye to Regina before I go?"

"Whatever you wish." Cora handed Emma the box. "You have only to touch the stone and think of the place you would like to return to. You have magic so you will not need me. But I warn you, if this stone cannot return you to your home then returning is not possible. Goodbye Miss White. I wish I could say it has been a pleasure." She walked from the room without looking back on the strange traveler who had done nothing useful to please her.

Emma swallowed hard. This really was her last day with this Regina and then she would be home. Then she could tell the Regina in Storybrooke the truth.

~ (SQ) ~

"What's wrong, Emmaline?" Regina was sitting on a stone bench in the garden beside Emma. "You carry a dark countenance today."

Emma looked up into cognac eyes, the waning sun of evening glittering in them. Silken black locks were kissed with golden light as the day ended. Regina was breathtaking. The concerned furrow of her brow, the frown pulling at soft, pink lips—everything about her cried out to be kissed, to be held, to be loved. Emma knew it was time to go.

"Nothing is wrong, Regina. I'm just tired I guess." Emma didn't want to tell her she was leaving but she knew she must. _In a minute… not yet._

"Oh. Well, perhaps I have been waking you too early. But I do love the sunrise. There is something magic about it, don't you think?" Immediately worry fled Regina's face and she smiled.

Emma's heart clenched. "Yes, it is lovely. I've enjoyed seeing it with you." It was now or never. The blonde knew she had to tell Regina. "But—"

"Oh! I almost forgot! There is something I wish to show you." Regina jumped to her feet and took Emma by both hands, pulling her up to her feet. The girl made to drag Emma through the garden and Emma tried to resist. She needed to get this out.

"Regina, wait. I really need to tell you something. I—"

"Here we are! Isn't it beautiful?" Regina beamed.

Emma looked ahead of her at something she recognized. It was Regina's apple tree. The one she had not long ago taken a chainsaw to. But here it was, slightly smaller and undamaged, hanging full of fruit.

"This is my tree. I grew it myself from just a tiny cutting. My father brought it to me from his travels. Would you like a taste?" Mischief flashed through dark eyes and a flirtatious smile spread across her face.

Emma grinned thinking of all the times Regina had offered her an apple. "Sure. But there is something I need to tell you."

Regina chose an apple and rubbed it against her dress, making it shine. She handed it to Emma with a smile and sat on the low stone wall surrounding the tree. She patted the place beside her for Emma. "Have a bite and then tell me whatever you wish, dearest."

Emma smiled at the variation on her Regina's standard pet name for anyone she was annoyed with. But this name from this Regina felt intimate. She took a bite of the apple, feeling the snap of red skin beneath her teeth. The white flesh was firm and tender against her tongue. A flood of sweet juices filled her mouth and dripped from the corner. The blonde wondered absently if perhaps Regina's offer of apples before had been an attempt to kill her literally or to kill her with longing. There was something undeniably sensual about this innocent and forbidden fruit.

"This apple is very good, Regina. You should be proud." Emma smiled. Regina reached up a hand and wiped away the stream of juice on Emma's chin with her index finger. She stuck the digit in her mouth and pulled it free with a pop. It was all very innocent but it caused Emma's skin to burn with desire.

"That is certainly a sweet one. Some of them can be quite tart. I chose well."

"Y-yeah. You did." Emma shook herself. She had to go home. She needed to go home. She could not remain here another minute. "Regina, I need to tell you something. I… I have to leave you."

Regina's eyes went wide. "What?! But why? Why must you go? Did I… Did Mother—"

Emma put a calming hand on the girl and, like nearly every time they touched, felt a tingling spark of magic. "You've done nothing and neither has your mother. I just… I have to go." Emma swallowed. She needed to say this in such a way that Regina understood and wasn't hurt by her words. "I am not from this realm. I came here by magic by accident and I have to return now… with this."

Emma produced the blue stone still housed in its glass box. Regina's eyes looked full of confusion and fear even as they began to fill with tears.

"Magic? Oh no, Emmaline. You mustn't use magic. Mother… she… she uses magic and it only brings pain." Regina swatted the box out of Emma's hand and the glass shattered against the stone walk.

"Not all magic is bad, Regina. It can be very good. And this magic will help me get back where I belong. I shouldn't be here. I… I have to go back." Emma watched the agony on the younger woman's face.

"Then, take me with you, Emmaline. Surely… surely, you can take two as easy as one. Take me away from here and I will never leave your side." Hope rose in dark eyes as tears now spilled over onto olive-toned cheeks.

"I can't, Regina. I know you don't understand right now, but this is for the best. You… you have to live your life and I will only be in the way." Emma was crying now.

Wide dark eyes, glistening in tears searched stormy green for a long moment and then a tiny, gravelly voice whispered, "Please don't leave me, my Honeysuckle Rose. I… I love you."

Emma's heart shattered in her chest. She felt pain radiate from her center like a poisonous river flowing to her fingers and toes. This is what she had meant to avoid. Regina couldn't love her… she had to love Daniel or everything would be ruined.

Green eyes fell to the blue shard still at her feet, surrounded by the broken glass. Emma reached a pale and trembling hand for it and spoke in a voice wet with tears to the broken girl before her. "I'd sooner forsake the sun and moon, Sweet Orchid… but I must. I'm sorry."

Emma closed her eyes and called forth her magic. She imagined herself back in Storybrooke, the same day she left. She imagined Regina fussing about her behaving like a child, touching things she wasn't supposed to touch. She thought of Henry, Mary Margaret and David. She felt her magic surge toward her hand and then….

Nothing.

She opened her eyes to see an awestruck and frightened young girl before her. "Well? Emmaline? What has happened? There was a light in the crystal but you remain. Are you going to stay?"

Emma looked at the crystal in her hand and tried again. Still nothing happened. Frustrated she tried again and this time no magic surged through her veins. Panic swept through her as she remembered Cora's warning… if it didn't work then there was no going home. She was stuck here.

The blonde jumped to her feet and began pacing. She had to go home. She couldn't stay here. This wasn't going to work. She had to go home. What about Daniel? Regina had to love him. What about the curse? And marrying her grandfather? And becoming the Evil Queen? She didn't want those things to happen… but they had to. For Henry. _Henry._

"Henry? My father? What about him?" Regina spoke in confusion. Apparently Emma had said that last bit about their son out loud.

Emma looked at the young woman beside her, so trusting and innocent and wept anew. Everything was ruined. The blonde collapsed on the stone bench and wept into her hands, her body shaking. "I've ruined everything."

Tender fingers slipped across Emma's shoulders and a small arm closed her in an embrace. "Shhh, don't cry, Emmaline. It's ok. We will find a way to return you home. Please don't cry."

Emma rested her head against the girls shoulder and continued to cry, giant tears racing down her porcelain face, a river of anguish. "You don't understand. There is no other way home. This was it."

Regina reached out and lifted Emma's chin so they were looking each other in tear filled eyes. "Well then, if there is no other way home, would staying here with me be so horrible? Couldn't your home be with me?"

Emma stared up into this face she loved so much. Without Henry, life could never be good enough. Their son was the brightest spot of every day for them both, even if this Regina didn't know it. But if the time line was ruined… if Henry would never exist… and there was no way to change it…

"Yes… it could be." Emma whispered against Regina's soft, pink lips as she drew closer for a kiss. If she could never have her family in Storybrooke again, if her Regina was lost to her forever, she would love this Regina without regret.

Regina gasped as Emma's lips met hers in a tender kiss. Emma knew without having to ask, she had never been kissed before.

Suddenly the crystal still clutched in Emma's hand sparkled to life. Heat emanated from it so that Emma dropped it to the ground and both of them watched in shock as it rattled along the stone. Suddenly a vortex opened above Regina's tree and swirling light and thunder filled the sky. Emma felt herself being pulled into the tornado even as she felt Regina's arms pulling her to remain.

"No! Don't go! Please! Stay with me! Stay with me!" The girl screamed and held tight to Emma's hands.

"I can't! I'm sorry! I have to, Regina. I have to…"

Emma's finger slipped free from Regina's grasp and suddenly the world went dark.


	4. Every Rose Has Its Thorn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: In case you missed it... this is the second of a two part update today. Please be sure to read the previous chapter or you will have no idea what is going on.

"I have to, Regina. I have to…"

"You have to what, dear? You have to what?"

Emma's eyes fluttered open and she was peering into worried brown orbs. "Regina?"

"Yes, it's me. You scared me to death. Now when I tell you not to touch… don't touch." Regina smirked at the blonde but her voice was laced with care.

"Don't touch?" Emma finally began to register the room around her. She was lying in a bed in Storybrooke Hospital, machines beeping around her. "What… what happened?"

Regina stood and smoothed her jacket, the same she'd been wearing when she took Emma to her vault to find a book they needed. She tucked a loose lock of black hair behind her ear and sat on the edge of the bed.

"What happened is you touched something after I told you not to and disappeared. I thought you were dead… or gone. And how was I going to explain that to our son? You are lucky I don't kill you myself for being such an idiot." Regina huffed and tried to sound angry but Emma knew she had been worried.

"How long was I gone?"

"Hmmm, not long. I searched the vault and then I used a locator spell on one of your gloves you left lying on the chest where you found whatever it was you touched. You were in the cemetery. I poofed us here immediately because you were not conscious. So… twenty minutes?" Regina shrugged.

"Twenty… only twenty minutes?" Emma's voice squeaked as she spoke. She'd been in the Enchanted Forest for a week at least.

Regina cocked her head and looked at Emma strangely. "Yes, I'd estimate about twenty minutes. Your pirate and the two idiots haven't even arrived yet."

Emma stared at Regina in absolute shock. Twenty minutes. Had it been a dream? Was she like some modern day, magical Dorothy and only dreamed of her days in Oz? Tears began to fill her eyes. No. It couldn't have been a dream. She loved Regina and Regina loved her. It had been meaningful and powerful and… Emma's eyes flew up to Regina's in shock. Their kiss had caused the crystal to work. It had to be real… not a dream.

Regina frowned now and put a hand on Emma's forehead as if feeling for a fever. "Emma? Are you alright? I had better get Dr. Whale." She stood from the bed and hurried toward the door.

"Don't leave me, Sweet Orchid." Emma barely whispered the words as her heart sank in her chest. It hadn't been real. She was still with Hook. Regina didn't love her. It was just a dream.

Regina froze in the doorway, hands balled into fists at her side. "What did you just say?"

She hadn't even turned to look back at Emma as she spoke. Emma shook her head and wiped at her teary eyes. "It was… it was nothing, Regina. Just something I dreamed."

Regina turned slightly so Emma could see her profile. "What did you say, Emma?"

The blonde took a deep breath and dropped her head in embarrassment. "I said…" She cleared her throat. "I said… Regina this is silly. It doesn't matter what I said."

Regina turned more fully now and gritted her teeth. "What did you say?"

Emma looked out the window by her bed, her eyes filling with tears again. "I said, don't leave me, Sweet Orchid."

The silence in the space between them housed only the faint beeping sound of the machines around them for a long moment until Regina's trembling voice sounded, as soft a whisper as Emma's had been.

"I'd sooner forsake the sun and moon, my Honeysuckle Rose."

Emma gasped and her eyes shot to Regina's. The woman was easing slowly toward the bed.

"Emma Swan… how do you know those words? I've never told those words to _anyone_! How do you know those words?!"

"It was real? It wasn't a dream?" Emma couldn't believe what she was hearing.

Now Regina gasped a ragged breath and held a slim arm protectively across her middle, the other hand covering her mouth. "It was _you?_ But how… how could it be…"

Regina stepped ever closer to the bed, her own chocolate eyes filling with tears.

Before another word could be spoken between them, a cacophony of sound filled the air around them.

"Emma? Emma! You're awake! David, she's awake!" Mary Margaret breezed past the frozen figure of Regina Mills and sat gingerly on the bed by her daughter.

"I can see that, Snow." David smiled as he eased next to his wife and smiled down into his daughter's shocked and tear streaked face.

"Aye… and looking no worse for the wear, Swan. Just as lovely as ever." Hook swaggered around the bed and leaned down to kiss Emma on her forehead.

Emma looked past them all as if they weren't there, still staring at the woman standing perfectly still between the bed and the door. "Regina?"

Henry bounded in the door and dashed past his mother to his other mother's bedside. "Ma! Are you ok? Mom sounded pretty upset when she called."

Emma looked into the sweet face of their son and smiled. "Oh, Henry! I missed you." She pulled him into a bone-crushing hug and looked back toward Regina over his shoulder.

The fading wisps of purple magic were the only thing there. Regina was gone.

~ (SQ) ~

Emma had endured poking and prodding by the nurses and Dr. Whale for several hours. She had allowed her mother to fuss and pet her like a child. She had even endured the waggling eyebrows and inappropriate comments from Hook. But then she reached her limit.

She checked herself out of the hospital and sent them all home. She was fine. She could drive. It was a magical mishap and she was going home… right after she took Henry home to Mifflin Street.

And talked to his mother.

Henry had texted Regina to tell her he was on his way home. Emma was surprised when, after trying in vain to find an excuse to go inside with her son, Henry had informed her that Regina wanted to talk to her. While Emma hung their coats in the hall closet, Henry dashed into his mother's study and then back out again. He'd gone to tell her goodnight.

"Night, Ma. I'm glad you are ok." He hugged his blonde mother on the landing at the foot of the stairs and bounded up to his room.

Emma watched him go until the bedroom door clicked shut. She swallowed hard and stared at the slightly ajar door to the study. She'd had a glass of cider there with Regina the night they met. How long ago that seemed now.

"Come in, Miss Swan. We need to talk." Regina's disembodied voice floated on the air and set Emma into motion.

Stepping into the room, she saw Regina sitting on the sofa, staring into the fire. A tumbler of cider in her hands. Emma eased the door closed.

"You know, I was devastated when she left. I had never felt anything like I felt about her. And seeing her… _you…_ sucked into that vortex and away from me forever… it made me hate magic even more than I already did." Regina hadn't taken her eyes off the fire as she spoke.

"Regina, I—" Emma tried to interject.

"The irony of it all is that when Daniel arrived, I was so broken and so lonely because you were ripped from my arms that I clung to him and his affection more than I probably would have if you hadn't come." She turned now slightly to look at Emma and patted the spot next to her on the couch. She sat her empty tumbler on the table and sighed as the other woman sat down cautiously. A dark laugh left her red lips and she smiled sadly. "And when your mother told my secret… I was ripe for the picking when Rumple came along. Not one but two people who loved me and wanted to protect me had been taken from me."

"Regina…" Emma started again.

"Don't you see the humor in it, Emma? You were taken from me and that made me rush into Daniel's arms. He was taken from me and that made me so full of rage I was willing to sacrifice everything to punish the ones who wronged me. And then I found the only real happiness I'd ever known in the form of a tiny piece of you back in my arms."

"Henry." Emma said with understanding.

"Yes," Regina said, turning tear filled eyes to the woman beside her. "Henry. Our beautiful son. So I cannot regret anything that happened after I met you. It brought us him. And I've been sitting here thinking about the words you said, how you had to go, how you'd ruined everything when you thought you couldn't return here. You were thinking of Henry, weren't you?"

Emma nodded, her eyes now glistening with tears as well. "Yes, I was. I didn't want you to suffer if I could stop it, but I knew... I knew you had to go through all those things or it could cost us the most important person in both our lives."

Regina smiled a sad little smile. "I'm not angry with you, Emma. You did the right thing. And in the end, I tore you away from the people who loved you most because the people… the _person_ I loved most had been torn away from me."

"Daniel." Emma said with sad finality. Of course it was Daniel who she had always loved, who she would always love.

Regina tilted her head to the side. "No. _You_. Daniel set the wheels in motion, but it was losing you that started the emptiness in my heart."

They both sat in comfortable silence for several minutes, leaning deep into the cushions on the couch and staring at the dying embers of the fire.

"So… what are we going to do about it now?" Emma said, afraid of what the answer might be but needing to hear it just the same.

"I don't know, Emma. I suppose you will go back to your pirate and I will go back to… being alone. It makes no difference who Emmaline was. It's so long ago now." Regina looked at Emma with pain in her eyes.

"It wasn't so long ago to me. And… I don't want to go back to Hook and the way things were. I…" She hesitated. Was she really about to say this? "I love you, Regina."

"Hmm." Regina grunted. "You love that innocent girl you met crying by a tree. A sweet, innocent flower. You don't love this hateful, thorny rose."

Emma shook her head and reached to touch Regina's face as a tear fell from dark eyes. "But you are so wrong. I do love the innocent girl. But the whole time I was with her, I longed for your fire. I ached for your rough edges. I'd have given my life to hear you call me an idiot or to see your anger when I do something stupid. Yes, I love the Sweet Orchid but more than anything, I love the rose… and all her thorns."

Tears now cascaded from Regina's eyes and Emma's hands held her face so she couldn't look away. "I love _you_ , Regina. Every single part of you."

Summoning every last ounce of courage she possessed, Emma pulled the other woman to her, gently kissing her lips. A strangled sob escaped Regina's lips as she returned the kiss. After a moment, Regina's fingers wove into blonde locks and she deepened the kiss. A world of color exploded in Emma's mind and her heart raced in her chest. Her body filled with light and love and for a moment she was unsure where she ended and Regina began.

Breathless, Regina broke the kiss and rested her forehead against Emma's. Tightening her grip she moved to resume her kiss, but first whispered quietly against Emma's mouth.

"I love you too, my Honeysuckle Rose."


End file.
